A Temecula woman received a ticket from a California Highway Patrol officer Tuesday evening in San Diego for operating a vehicle while wearing the computerized glasses that connect people to the Internet.

Cecelia Abadie, who became a Google Glass test participant about five months ago, posted a copy of the ticket on her Google+ social networking page.

Abadie was pulled over for speeding while driving north on I-15 in San Diego. The CHP officer added the Google Glass violation after the stop. While many motorists have been cited for using cellphones while driving, this is believed to be the first time that a driver has received a ticket for wearing Google Glass.

Abadie told U-T San Diego that the officer didn’t mention Google Glass initially but later began questioning her about the device.

“When he came back the second time, he asked me why I was wearing Google Glass very emphatically,” she said. “I was surprised. I said, ‘Well, it’s not illegal, right?’ And he said, ‘Yes, it is illegal.’ I was completely shocked.”

Abadie said she told the officer that she was not using the device, just wearing it.

“I wear it all day,” she said. “He said it blocks your vision. Most people don’t understand that the technology is designed to be out of your way. It’s off unless you turn it on or talk to it or touch it.”

Yes
13% (319)

No
87% (2112)

2431 total votes.

The California Highway Patrol issued a statement confirming that citation was issued but declined to provide additional details.

Google has selected about 10,000 so-called Explorers to test the $1,500 glasses in real-world situations. The glasses connect to the Internet via a Bluetooth link to a smartphone. They are voice controlled and can perform tasks such as checking email or displaying maps.

Abadie, who works at Full Swing Golf in San Diego, signed up as a Google Glass Explorer after attending a Google software conference.

Reached via email, Google said in a statement: “As we make clear in our help center, Explorers should always use Glass responsibly and put their safety and the safety of others first. More broadly, Glass is built to connect you more with the world around you, not distract you from it. It’s early days for Glass and we look forward to hearing feedback from Explorers and others in advance of a wider consumer launch next year.”

Abadie was cited for speeding and violating California Vehicle Code Section 27602, which basically says drivers can’t view television or video signals while driving other than dashboards, navigation systems, backup cameras and the like.

That could open an avenue for Abadie to fight the ticket. After Abadie posted the ticket on her Google+ social networking page, several people commented that Google Glass is no different from an onboard navigation system, which is exempt from the law.

“At the very least this will make for interesting legal tech conversation at the office tomorrow,” wrote Nick Moline. “If you were not using it or were only using it for GPS, it should not count in my humble opinion, and they can’t prove that you were using it for any other purpose other than GPS.”